Details of current and future tasking, specific deployments and readiness measures are not routinely disclosed where doing so could prejudice operational security or the safety of our personnel. Where it is possible to do so without compromising security, we will continue to provide non-classified information about Royal Navy activity that supports freedom of navigation, maritime security, protection of UK trade routes and of course protection of our critical undersea infrastructure and data cables.

The Government keeps deployments and force posture under constant review. I cannot comment further for reasons of operational security.

Securing maritime trade in the Middle East, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz requires a combined international effort. The UK with France is leading that effort, with representatives from over 40 nations, not just NATO members, attending the Defence Ministers meeting on the 12 May.

Planning for the independent and defensive Multinational Military Mission continues. The mission will be distinct from any other military campaign and will commence only when conditions permit, demonstrating a tangible commitment to the security of international trade and freedom of navigation. The UK has committed autonomous mine hunting equipment and cutting-edge counter drone systems, along with Typhoon jets and the destroyer HMS Dragon.

The Government keeps deployments and force posture under constant review. I cannot comment further for reasons of operational security.

Securing maritime trade in the Middle East, particularly in the Strait of Hormuz requires a combined international effort. The UK with France is leading that effort, with representatives from over 40 nations, not just NATO members, attending the Defence Ministers meeting on the 12 May.

Planning for the independent and defensive Multinational Military Mission continues. The mission will be distinct from any other military campaign and will commence only when conditions permit, demonstrating a tangible commitment to the security of international trade and freedom of navigation. The UK has committed autonomous mine hunting equipment and cutting-edge counter drone systems, along with Typhoon jets and the destroyer HMS Dragon.

We have been clear that violence earlier this year against Syria's diverse communities, including the Druze, was appalling. In our engagement with the Syrian government we emphasise that the protection of all Syrians and their full inclusion in the transition process is vital for peace in Syria. There has been some positive progress, including a commitment made in the Constitutional Declaration to the protection of freedom of religion and belief. We will continue to judge the Syrian Government by its actions.

Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. We published statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Education’s involvement is fundamental at all levels of safeguarding arrangements. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce a measure to place a duty on safeguarding partners to automatically include and strengthen the role of education and childcare settings in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.

This legislation ensures the full representation of education and childcare in operational safeguarding boards and systems, as well as at the strategic decision-making levels of safeguarding arrangements. It will also mean that all education and childcare settings must work together with safeguarding partners and ensure those arrangements are fully understood and applied in their organisations.

Schools and colleges have a critical role to play in protecting children and keeping them safe. We published statutory safeguarding guidance ‘Keeping children safe in education’ (KCSIE) which all schools and colleges must have regard to when carrying out their duties to safeguard and promote the welfare of children.

Education’s involvement is fundamental at all levels of safeguarding arrangements. The Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill will introduce a measure to place a duty on safeguarding partners to automatically include and strengthen the role of education and childcare settings in multi-agency safeguarding arrangements.

This legislation ensures the full representation of education and childcare in operational safeguarding boards and systems, as well as at the strategic decision-making levels of safeguarding arrangements. It will also mean that all education and childcare settings must work together with safeguarding partners and ensure those arrangements are fully understood and applied in their organisations.

Consumer legislation, such as the Consumer Rights Act 2015 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, apply to businesses across all sectors where consumers are transacting with traders. This includes the private publishing sector. DBT is strengthening consumer law enforcement through the implementation of the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024.

No teacher should feel unsafe or face violence or abuse in the workplace. The government is clear all school employers, including trusts, have a duty to protect the health, safety, and welfare of their employees. The government has taken decisive action to improve pupils’ behaviour to ensure all schools are calm, safe, and supportive environments where pupils and staff can work in safety and are respected.

The department supports head teachers in taking proportionate and measured steps to ensure good behaviour in schools. To support schools in doing so, the department has strengthened the behaviour in schools guidance, the primary source of help and support for schools on developing and implementing a behaviour policy that can create a school culture which has high expectations of all pupils. This guidance outlines effective strategies that will encourage good behaviour and the sanctions that will be imposed for misbehaviour. The government also backs head teachers to use exclusions when required, as a last resort. This includes using permanent exclusion when allowing the pupil to remain in school would seriously harm the education or welfare of the pupil or others in the school.

The government has no plans to introduce self-defence training for teachers. The National Professional Qualification (NPQ) in Leading Behaviour and Culture is relevant for teachers, leaders and non-teaching staff who want to develop their understanding of contemporary practice and research around promoting and supporting positive behaviour. £184 million has been invested into providing fully-funded NPQs for teaching staff across the country to deliver 150,000 NPQs up until the 2023/24 academic year.

The government is providing £10 million of funding for the Behaviour Hubs programmes to enable schools and multi-academy trusts with exemplary behaviour cultures and practices to work in partnership with those that want to improve their behaviour culture.

Maritime security features in our discussions with all of our Gulf partners, including Saudi Arabia, which plays a central role in the region, and with which the UK has a strategic relationship. The Foreign Secretary and Defence Secretary have been in regular contact with their Saudi counterparts in recent weeks, and explained why the UK joined with other allies in Operation Prosperity Guardian, in response to sustained Houthi attacks on international shipping. The United Kingdom and Saudi Arabia both have a shared interest in supporting the UN-led peace process in Yemen and working towards a sustainable long term political settlement in Yemen.

We are working with allies and partners to safeguard maritime security and navigational rights and freedoms in the Red Sea. The UK takes threats to shipping vessels in the Red Sea extremely seriously.

Britain joined the US and others in Operation Prosperity Guardian - an international naval force to deter mounting Houthi attacks on commercial shipping. This coalition bolsters international efforts to keep open one of the world's most important waterways. Royal Navy Destroyer, HMS Diamond, is a part of this coalition and has already been involved in action to protect shipping from Houthi threats on 16 December and 9 January. HMS Diamond was first targeted by a Houthi attack on 9 January.

The Foreign Secretary has discussed developments in the Red Sea with key interlocutors from Saudi Arabia (14 December), UAE (16 December & 12 January), and Oman on the weekend (31 December). The Defence Secretary also recently spoke with Yemeni President Alimi (21 December) and Saudi Minister of Defence Khalid bin Salman (21 December).

We continue to pursue all diplomatic routes.

As stated by the Secretary of State for Defence in his Written Ministerial Statement of 19 December; the MOD has bolstered its contribution to maritime security in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden. HMS DIAMOND is in the region in support of Op PROSPERITY GUARDIAN, a US led international operation established to protect freedom of navigation throughout the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden.

On 16 December HMS DIAMOND shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle in the Red Sea, the first surface-to-air engagement by a Royal Navy vessel since 1991.

On 3 January the UK and 11 other countries issued a statement condemning the unjustified attacks on maritime shipping through the Red Sea.

On 10 January 2023, the UK and US successfully repelled the largest and most complex attack from the Iranian-backed Houthis in the Red Sea to date. HMS DIAMOND and US warships destroyed multiple attack drones deployed by the Houthis with HMS DIAMOND using Sea Viper missiles and guns.

The UK and allies remain committed to the international rules-based order and are determined to hold malign actors accountable for unlawful seizures and attacks. The UK has condemned the attacks and is willing to take the action needed to protect innocent lives and freedom of navigation.

There is no place in our country for hatred towards Hindus in this area. We have some of the strongest legislation in the world which aims to protect Hindus from both racially and religiously motivated crime. We encourage those who have experienced hatred to come forward to the Police or to report to the Police online portal True Vision. The Home Office’s Places of Worship Protective Security Funding Scheme has also provided physical security protection measures to places of worship across England and Wales that are particularly vulnerable to religiously motivated hate crime, including 26 Hindu temples.

The upcoming Online Safety Bill will protect freedom of expression online. The largest and riskiest companies, Category 1 services, will no longer be able to remove arbitrarily harmful content. They will need to be clear about what content is acceptable on their services and enforce these rules consistently. Users will have access to effective mechanisms to appeal content that is removed without good reason.

Category 1 services will need to assess their impact on freedom of expression and demonstrate the steps they have taken to mitigate this. They will also have additional duties to protect democratic and journalistic content online.

The government is also taking steps to boost competition in digital markets through the new pro-competition regime for digital markets. This has the potential to support greater choice and plurality in digital services.

Any attack on a police officer is completely unacceptable. Assaults specifically against emergency workers, including the police, are punishable by up to 12 months in prison and could be charged as common assault. The Government’s recent consultation seeking views on doubling the maximum sentence for assaults on emergency workers shows our commitment to ensuring these attacks are not tolerated. We continue to work with the Ministry of Justice to ensure that assaults on police officers are handled with appropriate severity by the whole criminal justice system.

We have also accelerated our work to introduce a Police Covenant, recognising the service and sacrifice of those who work, or have worked, in policing and to deliver the practical support they need. The key areas of focus will be physical protection, health and wellbeing and support for families. We expect to publish our response to the recent public consultation shortly.

The Government is clear that police officers should have the best possible protection when facing the physical violence that is sometimes directed against them. Decisions on the purchase and supply of protective equipment, including Body Armour, are primarily for Chief Officers.

We also welcome the publication of the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s Officer and Staff Safety Review. We will continue to work closely with policing partners to consider the recommendations in the report.

All schools and colleges, including independent schools, are subject to the Prevent Duty, which requires them to protect people from the harm of radicalisation and from being drawn into terrorism.

They are also required to actively promote the values that underpin and unite our society – democracy, rule of law, individual liberty and mutual respect and tolerance of those with different faiths and beliefs. The department has worked closely with Ofsted to strengthen Ofsted’s inspection frameworks, so that inspectors are required to assess how well schools and colleges are meeting these requirements.

We work closely with the sector to support it in implementing these requirements and to ensure our children and young people are resilient to extremist ideology and prepared for life in modern Britain. We fund, with the Home Office, networks of experts who provide frontline support to educational institutions, and we provide a range of free resources for practitioners on our Educate Against Hate and Education and Training Foundation websites for schools and colleges.

The department is also taking forward a package of activity aimed at enhancing the safeguarding of children in out-of-school settings, where we know some children have their mainstream education supplemented through the provision of after school clubs or activities, which can include religious settings offering tuition in their own faith.

This includes the provision of £3 million to boost local capacity to identify and intervene in out-of-school settings of concern, and inform best practice on how existing legal powers – held across local authorities and relevant agencies – can best be used to address safeguarding and welfare concerns in these settings. This work started last summer and is due to conclude in March 2020.

Alongside this, we have been developing a voluntary code of practice for out-of-school setting providers and guidance for parents. These will support providers to understand what is needed to run a safe setting. This will help parents and carers make informed choices when considering out-of-school settings for their children, as well as understand the steps they can take where they have concerns. The department consulted on these documents in late February 2019 and will respond to the consultation in due course. The consultation can be found here: https://consult.education.gov.uk/regulatory-framework-unit/out-of-school-settings-voluntary-safeguarding-code/.

Royal Navy vessels operate in UK waters in addition to the United Kingdom Border Force, marine policing units, the vessels of the inshore fishery conservation authorities and maritime and coastguard agency aircraft. These operations ensure that freedom of navigation is maintained so that everyone who seeks to use the seas for their lawful business, regardless of nationality, can do so.

There are no plans for Royal Navy vessels to be used to provide direct security to British fisherman after the UK leaves the EU.

Powers which may be used to tackle vandalism include the offence of criminal damage which carries a maximum sentence of up to ten years imprisonment and a Civil Injunction which can be imposed by the courts to place prohibitions or requirements on perpetrators of Anti social behaviour, which can include requiring them to stay away from a particular place or require them to repair damage to someone else’s property. For adults, breach is punishable by up to two years’ imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine.

The Government provides support for the repair of memorials through the Memorial Grant Scheme which makes grants towards the VAT incurred by charities and faith groups in the construction, repair and maintenance of public memorial structures, including war memorials. The scheme has a fixed budget of £0.5m per year for spending period.

To mark the centenary of the First World War, Government funded a four-year programme. One strand of this work was to ensure war memorials across the country are protected and the people they commemorate, remembered. The aim was to add 2,500 war memorials to the National Heritage List for England. The project finished at the end of September 2018, having added or amended a total of 2,645 war memorials to the list.

The Government report, “Ending Gang and Youth Violence” (November 2011) recognised the importance of tackling gang-related violence on girls, and refers to research by Race on the Agenda (2010:11) which exposed the significant harm that girls associated with gangs can experience. Further research has been undertaken by the Office of the Children's Commissioner (2012) and Bedfordshire University (2012).

Steps taken to protect girls from becoming involved in gang-related crime are set out in the “Ending Gang and Youth Violence Report: One Year On” document (November 2012). This includes dedicated funding of £1.2 million over three years (April 2012 to March 2015) to improve services for girls under 18 at risk of, or victims of, sexual violence and exploitation by gangs.

The reports are available on the Home Office website.